Can we do תפילות prayers for:
Beit Orot?
So that through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel? |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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The Irving Moskowitz Yeshiva & Campus
Yeshivat Beit Orot - The Hesder Yeshiva on Har Hazeitim in Yerushalayim
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OROT HAPARSHA
Parshat Vaeira
From the teachings of Rav Dani Isaac, Rosh Hayeshiva
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Yeshivat Beit Orot - The Hesder Yeshiva on Har Hazeitim in Yerushalayim
------------------------------
OROT HAPARSHA
Parshat Vaeira
From the teachings of Rav Dani Isaac, Rosh Hayeshiva
------------------------------
"And I will harden Paro's heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Paro will not listen to you, and I will lay My hand upon Egypt and bring out My hosts, my people, the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, by great judgments, and Egypt shall know that I am Hashem, when I stretch forth My hand upon Egypt and I will bring out the children of Israel from amongst them" (vii, 3-5).
We can learn from the plain meaning of the verses that there are two aspects to the signs and wonders that Hakadosh Baruch Hu performs. The first aspect is that the Egyptians, and through them the entire world, will recognize the greatness of Hashem. The second is that they will understand that we are Hashem's people ("my people") and that we are "Hashem's hosts" (in the words of Rav Kook [Orot p. 24]: "Hashem of hosts is Hashem the G-d of Israel, and the hosts of Israel are the hosts of Hashem").
These two aspects appear in the Midrash as well. Said Hakadosh Baruch Hu to Moshe: The wicked Paro has made himself into a god, as it says, 'the river is mine and I made it,' therefore he will see you and say that this is a god" (Midrash Rabbah 8:3). The same source also states: "what caused Paro to receive chastisement? Because he said 'the river is mine and I made it,' and therefore Hashem said to Moshe: 'Behold I have made you into a god for Paro,' 'for one higher than the high watches and there are higher than they' (Kohelet v, 7). Go and act, for whoever makes himself in into a god is a disgrace in the world for making himself high" (Paro is called an abomination=disgrace).
Likewise the Midrash says (12:2): "'For on this occasion etc' - said Hakadosh Baruch Hu: Wicked one! Do you think that I am incapable of wiping you out from the world?! Go learn from the plague of pestilence. Had I, when I sent it, sent it against you and your people, you would have been wiped out from the face of the land, but I did not send it against you only so as to show you My strength and might and that you should tell of My might throughout the entire land." We furthermore find (7:3), "Said Rabbi Levi: This is comparable to a king who had an orchard in which he planted barren trees and fruit trees. His servants said to him, what benefit do you gain from these barren trees? He said to them, just as I have need of the fruit trees so have I need of the barren trees, for if it were not for the barren trees, from where would I make for myself bathhouses and ramps? Just as Hakadosh Baruch Hu's praise rises from the mouths of the righteous in Gan Eden, so it rises from the mouths of the wicked in Gehinom. What do the wicked say? Said Rav Yochanan: 'You have spoken well, You have judged well, You have correctly declared the pure, You have correctly declared the impure.'" Regarding the plague of blood the Midrash states (9:8): "Why were the waters stricken first with blood? Because Paro and the Egyptians worshipped the river. Said Hakadosh Baruch Hu: I will smite his god first, and afterwards his people."
These midrashim teach us that the purpose of the plagues is to show everyone that Hashem is G-d, and that all the "substitutes" that are made into gods are of no import. Those people who think that they are all-powerful, or those who think that nature is in control, will admit to the Divine truth, and this is what it means that the praise of Hakadosh Baruch Hu will rise from Gehinom as well.
On the other hand we find many midrashim that teach us that the purpose of the plagues is to make known that Israel are Hashem's people, and that when they are belittle us Hakadosh Baruch Hu punishes the nations measure for measure. The Midrash Rabbah explains all the plagues systematically in this manner: "Why did Hakadosh Baruch Hu bring blood upon them? Measure for measure, because they would not let the daughters of Israel immerse themselves from their impurity so that they should not be fruitful and multiply, and the waters were therefore stricken with blood" (9:9). Why did He bring frogs upon them? Because they would say to the Israelites: Go out and bring us bears, lions and leopards, in order to torment them" (11:4). "Why did He bring pestilence upon them? Because they turned the Israelites into shepherds of cattle and shepherds of sheep and all animals in the mountains and deserts in order that they should not be fruitful and multiply" (11:5). "Boils - why was it brought upon them? Because they made the children of Israel heat up their hot liquids and cool down their cold liquids" (11:6). "Why did He bring hail upon them? Because they turned the Israelites into planters of vineyards, gardens, orchards and trees. Therefore He brought hail upon them and it broke down everything" (12:5).
However, a deeper reflection reveals that these two aspects form two sides of the same coin. The ability of the world to recognize Hashem depends upon the appearance of Am Yisrael in the world as Hashem's people. The nations are not capable of arriving at a clear and true knowledge of Hashem without a mixture of pettiness and wickedness unless it is through the nation whose entire life receives its meaning from a cleaving to Hashem, first of all from the aspect of its internal soul, and through this in the practical aspect, expressed throughout all the walks of life. Rav Kook zatsal writes (Orot p. 22): "The world and all that is in it await the light of Israel, the lofty light of the clarity of the praise of Hashem, of this people whom G-d created for Himself to tell His praise" (the Rav bases his words on the pasuk in Yishaya (xlii, 21), "This people I have created for Myself; they will tell My praise").
These midrashim teach us that the purpose of the plagues is to show everyone that Hashem is G-d, and that all the "substitutes" that are made into gods are of no import. Those people who think that they are all-powerful, or those who think that nature is in control, will admit to the Divine truth, and this is what it means that the praise of Hakadosh Baruch Hu will rise from Gehinom as well.
On the other hand we find many midrashim that teach us that the purpose of the plagues is to make known that Israel are Hashem's people, and that when they are belittle us Hakadosh Baruch Hu punishes the nations measure for measure. The Midrash Rabbah explains all the plagues systematically in this manner: "Why did Hakadosh Baruch Hu bring blood upon them? Measure for measure, because they would not let the daughters of Israel immerse themselves from their impurity so that they should not be fruitful and multiply, and the waters were therefore stricken with blood" (9:9). Why did He bring frogs upon them? Because they would say to the Israelites: Go out and bring us bears, lions and leopards, in order to torment them" (11:4). "Why did He bring pestilence upon them? Because they turned the Israelites into shepherds of cattle and shepherds of sheep and all animals in the mountains and deserts in order that they should not be fruitful and multiply" (11:5). "Boils - why was it brought upon them? Because they made the children of Israel heat up their hot liquids and cool down their cold liquids" (11:6). "Why did He bring hail upon them? Because they turned the Israelites into planters of vineyards, gardens, orchards and trees. Therefore He brought hail upon them and it broke down everything" (12:5).
However, a deeper reflection reveals that these two aspects form two sides of the same coin. The ability of the world to recognize Hashem depends upon the appearance of Am Yisrael in the world as Hashem's people. The nations are not capable of arriving at a clear and true knowledge of Hashem without a mixture of pettiness and wickedness unless it is through the nation whose entire life receives its meaning from a cleaving to Hashem, first of all from the aspect of its internal soul, and through this in the practical aspect, expressed throughout all the walks of life. Rav Kook zatsal writes (Orot p. 22): "The world and all that is in it await the light of Israel, the lofty light of the clarity of the praise of Hashem, of this people whom G-d created for Himself to tell His praise" (the Rav bases his words on the pasuk in Yishaya (xlii, 21), "This people I have created for Myself; they will tell My praise").
Hakadosh Baruch Hu says to Moshe: "And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in servitude, and I have remembered My covenant" (vi, 5), and He commands Moshe: "Therefore say to the children of Israel, 'I am Hashem' (faithful to My promise - Rashi)." Hakadosh Baruch Hu proceeds by telling Moshe the four expressions of redemption: "And I will bring out, and I will save, and I will redeem, and I will take," corresponding to which the sages instituted the four cups of seder night (according to the Midrash in Beraishit Rabbah 88:4). The Maharal (Pesach Haggadah p. 28) explains that in the Brit Ben HaBetarim (the covenant between the parts) Hakadosh Baruch Hu says to Avraham: "You should surely know that your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will place them under servitude and afflict them for four hundred years" (Beraishit xv, 13). "Three things are mentioned here - being strangers, servitude and affliction, and each one is more severe than the previous one. For their being strangers means living in a foreign land, but at least they do not have to serve others, while servitude is more severe as it means working as a slave, but this is still the way of the world. Affliction, however, is the most serious of them all, as a master does not afflict his servant, while here there was affliction too. (When we look closely at the midrashim quoted above, which tell of the evils the Egyptians carried out against us, we can distinguish between various types of evil. Some involve behavior which is of the way of the world towards 'foreign workers' as street-sweepers, while others involve the treatment of slaves, such as the heat of hot water and its cooling, while yet a third category implies affliction, such as the prohibition against immersing so that they should not be fruitful and multiply.) When He comes to redeem them, He begins with the last: 'And I will bring you out from under the burdens of Egypt' - this corresponds to the affliction. After this, 'And I will save you from their servitude.' After He saves them from the work He says: 'And I will redeem you,' which corresponds to being strangers." (Redemption is a process. Our redemption of the present time is also a long, protracted process; only the short-sighted are incapable of seeing this and give in to despair. Yet the faithful must thank Hashem for this process despite the complications, as reactions in difficult circumstances are authentic and true, through which the redemption will be increasingly revealed). The Maharal goes to explain that even though He redeemed them, this only involved taking them out from Egypt's authority, but they were still lacking a connection to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and it is regarding this that He says, "And I will take you for me as a people," meaning that you will be Mine. Redemption is similar to a birth - the child first comes out into the world (the first three expressions), and only afterwards is it perfected in its most suitable form (this is "And I will take").
The number four represents the existence of the world, the four corners of heaven. Paro succeeds in overcoming Israel in three aspects expressed by being strangers, servitude and affliction. If, G-d forbid, he had succeeded in overcoming us in an additional aspect he would have managed to take control of our entire existence, for he would have succeeded in enslaving us in four aspects which represent the entire world and all reality. When Hakadosh Baruch Hu, however, "hears the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in servitude," and that there is a danger, G-d forbid, that he will gain complete control of them, He immediately counters with the four expressions of redemption which express Hashem's control over all reality, and His name is revealed in all four aspects of the world, and through this the nations will recognize the kingship of Hashem. We explained above that the perfection of the revelation of the kingship of Hashem depends upon Am Yisrael being clearly established as Hashem's people. Hence the fourth aspect, which completes the appearance of the name of Hashem throughout the four corners of heaven, is the taking of Am Yisrael as the people of Hashem = "And I will take you for me as a people."
A perusal of the Brit Ben HaBetarim reveals that the numbers three and four appear: "...take Me a heifer, three years old, and a she-goat, three years old, and a ram, three years old..." (xv, 9), and afterwards Hakadosh Baruch Hu says to Avraham, "And they shall enslave them and afflict them for four hundred years " (13), "and the fourth generation shall return here" (16). Avraham is commanded to divide the animals, and afterwards, "And birds of prey came on the carcasses...and behold, a dread, a great darkness fell upon him" (11-12). The dividing and the coming of the birds of prey symbolize the exile and this is why the dread falls upon Avraham. Exile and Egypt's control over us is for the most part the observable reality (i.e. in three aspects), but before they control us completely we will leave in freedom, which is the meaning of our redemption in the fourth hundred year, and this is why the Torah states that the fourth generation will return to Eretz Yisrael, and through this it will be made clear that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the One in control of reality and is revealed in the four corners of heaven. Had the nations of the world not possessed any control over us the Divine mastery over the world would not have been made clear, for we might have thought that we rule because of our strength and our wisdom as opposed to weakness of the nations. However, when we observe the nations' rule, who control through might and cleverness, and yet Am Yisrael nonetheless eventually rises to greatness, this makes it clear that Hashem, G-d of Israel, is king of the world (a similar process often occurs, in our generation as well, as Hashem's kingship is revealed through troubles to a person who reflects deeply on matters).
The number four represents the existence of the world, the four corners of heaven. Paro succeeds in overcoming Israel in three aspects expressed by being strangers, servitude and affliction. If, G-d forbid, he had succeeded in overcoming us in an additional aspect he would have managed to take control of our entire existence, for he would have succeeded in enslaving us in four aspects which represent the entire world and all reality. When Hakadosh Baruch Hu, however, "hears the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in servitude," and that there is a danger, G-d forbid, that he will gain complete control of them, He immediately counters with the four expressions of redemption which express Hashem's control over all reality, and His name is revealed in all four aspects of the world, and through this the nations will recognize the kingship of Hashem. We explained above that the perfection of the revelation of the kingship of Hashem depends upon Am Yisrael being clearly established as Hashem's people. Hence the fourth aspect, which completes the appearance of the name of Hashem throughout the four corners of heaven, is the taking of Am Yisrael as the people of Hashem = "And I will take you for me as a people."
A perusal of the Brit Ben HaBetarim reveals that the numbers three and four appear: "...take Me a heifer, three years old, and a she-goat, three years old, and a ram, three years old..." (xv, 9), and afterwards Hakadosh Baruch Hu says to Avraham, "And they shall enslave them and afflict them for four hundred years " (13), "and the fourth generation shall return here" (16). Avraham is commanded to divide the animals, and afterwards, "And birds of prey came on the carcasses...and behold, a dread, a great darkness fell upon him" (11-12). The dividing and the coming of the birds of prey symbolize the exile and this is why the dread falls upon Avraham. Exile and Egypt's control over us is for the most part the observable reality (i.e. in three aspects), but before they control us completely we will leave in freedom, which is the meaning of our redemption in the fourth hundred year, and this is why the Torah states that the fourth generation will return to Eretz Yisrael, and through this it will be made clear that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the One in control of reality and is revealed in the four corners of heaven. Had the nations of the world not possessed any control over us the Divine mastery over the world would not have been made clear, for we might have thought that we rule because of our strength and our wisdom as opposed to weakness of the nations. However, when we observe the nations' rule, who control through might and cleverness, and yet Am Yisrael nonetheless eventually rises to greatness, this makes it clear that Hashem, G-d of Israel, is king of the world (a similar process often occurs, in our generation as well, as Hashem's kingship is revealed through troubles to a person who reflects deeply on matters).
As is well known, there is a fifth expression of redemption: "And I will bring you to the Land that I lifted up My hand to give it to Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'akov..." (x, 8). Chazal did not institute a fifth cup on seder night to correspond to the fifth expression, since the redemption from Egyptian servitude makes clear Hashem's control over reality, which finds expression in the number four. Yet a loftier level exists that makes clear one central point from which all reality follows - that not only does Hashem control everything, but that all reality is a revelation of the Divine unity. This is the fifth point, the middle point of the four corners. In the words of the Maharal (Ner Mitzvah), "the middle refers to one, with the middle in particular indicating one, and therefore Israel, who form one people, is presented with the unique gift of Eretz Yisrael, which is one alone." The function of Am Yisrael is to reveal the Divine unity, and not just the Divine control, as we mention every day, "Shema Yisrael...Hear Israel, Hashem our G-d, Hashem is One." In order to fulfill this function we need all the strengths of the nation in all its varieties and parts, and they will wholly appear only when we will be in Eretz Yisrael in the wholeness of its entire breadth.
The complete redemption, whose revelation we see approaching gradually, must reveal the lofty Divine unity. We are therefore commanded to increase the love and unity amongst us, while at the same time keeping a firm grip on the entire Land of our lives.
Shabbat Shalom from Beit Orot in Yerushalayim
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Beit Orot
"Building & Reclaiming Yerushalayim"
------------------------------
On the Web: www.beitorot.org
E-Mail: info@beitorot.org
------------------------------
In Israel:
The Irving Moskowitz Yeshiva & Campus
Beit Orot
1 Shmuel Ben Adaya Street
The Mount of Olives
Jerusalem 97400
Tel: 972-2-628-4155
Fax: 972-2-627-6673
------------------------------
In the United States:
American Friends of Beit Orot
162 Cedar Lane
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Tel: 1-201-530-0210
Fax: 1-201-353-2335
------------------------------
Beit Orot
"Building & Reclaiming Yerushalayim"
------------------------------
On the Web: www.beitorot.org
E-Mail: info@beitorot.org
------------------------------
In Israel:
The Irving Moskowitz Yeshiva & Campus
Beit Orot
1 Shmuel Ben Adaya Street
The Mount of Olives
Jerusalem 97400
Tel: 972-2-628-4155
Fax: 972-2-627-6673
------------------------------
In the United States:
American Friends of Beit Orot
162 Cedar Lane
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Tel: 1-201-530-0210
Fax: 1-201-353-2335
------------------------------
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